Priscilla Lopes-Schliep has a hurdle she didn’t expect in her drive to win Olympic gold at the 2012 London Games — she’s pregnant.

The No. 1-ranked 100-metre hurdler in the world shared the news with the Star in an exclusive interview Thursday before a light workout at the Toronto Track and Field Centre at York University. She’s not really showing yet at three months — her prodigious stomach muscles still ripple — but there is definitely a glow about her.

She also remains a steely competitor. She’s made an incredible climb in establishing herself as one of Canada’s best hopes for London, winning Olympic bronze in 2008, world championship silver in 2009 and seizing the No. 1 world ranking last year.

The 28-year-old is determined to reclaim that status after having her baby, which is due Sept. 23. She’s told her agent, Kris Mychasiw, to buy tickets for her family for the 100-metre hurdles final in London on Aug. 7.

“I know I’ve got the drive and the heart,” said the Whitby native, “and when I have my heart set on something I know I’m going after it. The main thing is to make sure I’m healthy and the baby’s healthy.”

Lopes-Schliep feared not being able to have children with husband Bronson Schliep, a former basketball player at the University of Nebraska where they met. She had one of her ovaries removed because of a cyst in 2007.

Word of her pregnancy has circulated in track circles for weeks, but she wasn’t ready to go public until now. On Sunday, she’ll walk the red carpet at the Juno Awards for two.

“It’s something that was meant to be,” said Lopes-Schliep. “We’re more than ecstatic. Having the baby now will actually lengthen my track career. Bronson and I made jokes before that: ‘Right after the London final, no interviews. You and me gotta make a baby.’ ”

Longtime coach Anthony McCleary has cut her training in half, but fully expects her to be on top of her game by the time the gun goes off in London.

“Usually when she says she’s going to do something, it’s bang-on so far,” said McCleary. “I think this is something she can do.”

Dr. Julia Alleyne, chief medical officer for the Canadian team for the London Olympics and an expert on exercise and pregnancy, said not much research has been done into what a safe level of training would be for pregnant elite athletes. The University of Toronto professor said it has to be monitored on an individual basis, but thinks what Lopes-Schliep is attempting is definitely within the realm of possibility given the time frame, provided there aren’t complications.

Alleyne cited a study by University of Western Ontario exercise physiologist Michelle Mottola that showed women in the military were able to get back to pre-pregnancy fitness levels 12 to 15 weeks after an uncomplicated delivery in a low-risk birth.

Among the most successful comebacks by athletes after pregnancy were marathoner Paula Radcliffe, who won the 2007 New York Marathon 10 months after the birth of her daughter, and Belgian tennis ace Kim Clijsters, who won the 2009 U.S. Open 18 months after having her daughter.

Lopes-Schliep hasn’t had any morning sickness and says her mood’s pretty level — she’s certainly sporting a huge perma-grin — but does find that she’s hungry again 45 minutes after eating and that she is really craving iron.

“Meat and milk,” she said. “I went from one glass to four or five a day. My body just wants milk. Hamburgers sound good to me. I have to go for the homemade. I had Bronson one day run out and grab me some chicken nuggets, but that was only one day.”

She’s already the proud mama, wearing a huge grin and showing the picture of the ultrasound she has on her BlackBerry.

“The baby was very active,” she said. “I can’t feel anything. They say it’s like the size of an apple right now. It’s a busy one.”

McCleary knows his athlete well and that her close-knit family is the most important thing in her life. He doesn’t expect the physical side to be the toughest challenge.

“Leaving the baby and coming to the track is going to be the hard part for her,” she said.

But she appears to be relishing the fact she’ll be the underdog once again after a long, hard climb to the top.

“I love a challenge,” she said. “It will give me something to dig that much deeper for. I’ll have that little person I’m trying to be a good role model to.”

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